Coronation Street legend Anne Kirkbride will be remembered at tomorrow's Soap Awards in her home town of Manchester.

The event's host, Phillip Schofield, said he expected the actress, who played Deirdre Barlow for 44 years until her death in January, to get the outstanding achievement award.

The actress, one of Weatherfield's best-known faces, could also win another award after she wa s nominated in the scene of the year category for the episode in which Deirdre threw a trifle - which were to be among her final scenes in the ITV soap.

The emotional episode saw Deirdre hurl her trifle at a wall in anger before breaking down in the arms of husband Ken, and the scenes were filmed to allow Kirkbride to take an anticipated three-month break from the show.

They show Deirdre reaching breaking point after daughter-in-law Carla and daughter Tracy argue over Carla's reluctance to speak to her imprisoned husband Peter on the phone.

Appearing on Alan Carr's Chatty Man show, Schofield said: " There are things this year that deserve that little bit of extra time. I think it might have been mentioned, but anyway if it hasn't I'm telling you, but I think that the outstanding achievement award will go to Anne Kirkbride this year.

"The amazing thing about the night is that there are those moments of incredible depth of feeling and then great fun.

"We've dropped sexiest male and sexiest female (awards) this year. We're not doing that this year. We looked at the red carpet and thought, 'they all look so gorgeous'."